1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a diagnosis assisting apparatus and a storage medium having a diagnosis assisting program stored therein, for assisting medical diagnosis that is carried out based on an image acquired by a medical diagnostic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a graphical user interface (GUI) based viewer for assisting diagnostic reading, diagnosis, or explanation to a patient has been known. An interpreter or an observer such as a physician, especially radiologist, or obtains necessary information while using the viewer to carry out image processing or making a change for arrangement, display information and the like. In the viewer, image data acquired by the medical diagnostic apparatus and stored in an image server can be acquired and displayed as required. The medical examiner interprets the image displayed by the viewer.
In the case where there is a need for preparing and recording a report of a diagnosis result, the interpreter or the observer prepares such a report by utilizing a report viewer which is different from the above viewer or utilizing another software on the same viewer. In addition, in many facilities, a diagnosis result must be filled in recording paper by writing or be dictated to a transcriber without using the report viewer.
The GUI based viewer can change an image display mode, and however, the interpreter or the observer has carried out diagnostic reading directly.
In the case where diagnosis is carried out while preparing a report, the interpreter or the observer carries out diagnostic reading by using the GUI based viewer. Then, the interpreter or the observer must interrupt this diagnostic reading and prepare a report or fill the diagnosis result in the recording paper by utilizing a report terminal through some operating steps using a keyboard, a mouse, dictation, or the like. Therefore, with respect to a time required for the interpreter or the observer, an operating time for determining or keeping the result of diagnostic reading is added to a time for reading an actual image. In a system or the like in which a large amount of images per a unit time must be read, this time is relatively extended.
As described above, there has been a disadvantage that medical diagnosis based on an image becomes a considerable burden on the interpreter or the observer.
The associated prior application includes Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-58583 (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-267273).